After Seven Years, Nina Compton’s BABs Closes in the Bywater

James Beard Award-winning chef Nina Compton announced the closure of her second New Orleans restaurant, BABs, with its last service on May 31. According to her publicist, Lauren Bush, the closure is not related to the slow season. “The plan has been in the works for a while and nothing to do with summer or business drop,” she said. ”They’re thrilled for the great run, but felt it was time to shift gears. Nina and Larry are focusing on other projects. There is no plan to open something new in the space.”

The St. Lucia native and her husband and partner, Larry Miller, moved to New Orleans from Miami in 2015, when she opened her first local restaurant, Compère Lapin, at the Old No. 77 Hotel & Chandlery in the Central Business District. They opened their second restaurant, Bywater American Bistro, in 2018, inside the Rice Mill Lofts, in the space that was previously Mariza. Renamed BABs in 2024, the intimate restaurant served the neighborhood where the couple lives, offering a polished casual vibe and a modern American menu with plenty of nods to the chef’s Caribbean roots.  

Compton’s official statement reflects her trademark optimism. “After seven incredible years, BABs has officially closed. Thank you for all the love and support—we’re grateful for every moment. We’re excited for the next chapter and look forward to continuing to feed you.”

Other closures of note:

• After less than a year of operation, chef-owner Troy Brocato closed Brocato’s Kitchen on May 9, his casual Cajun-Creole spot on Broad Street in Mid-City. In a social media post, Brocato promised to continue his catering services and food vending at festivals, including Jazz Fest. His restaurant was praised for its traditional takes on everything from gumbo to a slow-roasted beef po’ boy. He cited “location challenges” as a factor. Extensive city road work has snarled traffic, affecting local businesses along Broad for months.

• Liberty’s Kitchen, a nonprofit and cafe that teaches culinary and leadership skills to at-risk young people, will close June 30. Over the years, Liberty’s Kitchen supported more than 1,000 young people with job experience and culinary skills. A Grand Finale fundraiser will be held June 17 to celebrate the organization’s 17-year impact on the community, trainees, and alumni.

• After 25 years of pouring beer and slinging barbecue, Ugly Dog Saloon & BBQ closed  Memorial Day weekend. But just a few days after that announcement, Ugly Dog posted that it has a new home. The business shared that it will take over Yum’s Cafe at 3059 LA-1 in Grand Isle, a new chapter in a new location. 

• Two notable neighborhood restaurants are closing for at least a month this summer. Chef Nathanial Zimet is shuttering Boucherie for June and July. It is not a summer break. “It’s a financial necessity,” Zimet announced in a press release. “We just have to, last year we were hemorrhaging money and we can’t do that again.” He decided to close temporarily and protect the business long term. Zimet added that he’s retaining staff by redirecting them to neighboring restaurant Bourrée, an expanded outdoor dining restaurant called the Garden, and a new initiative called Humble Bumble — a farm-to-table operation that will support the growing school lunch program, Boucherie Feeds 

• At Bywater Bakery, a hive of community, cakes, and comfort food in the Bywater, chef-owner Chaya Conrad, whose Chantilly cake has a cult following, continues her tradition of shutting down for a month, July 28 through August 28. “After not closing the first year we were open, I vowed to embrace our French heritage and close for August. It’s a brutal month for the business. We decided to take that month and recharge our batteries instead. Our core team members come back after break every year.”